Description

Take an elderly bachelor Don Pasquale, who wants to try his hand at love again and a clumsy lad, Ernsto who has given up on true love. Add to this a cunning friend called Malatesta with a talent for pulling strings and scheming. And finally, sly Norina who sends people on wild goose chases and saves her relationship with Ernesto. These are the ingredients for Gaetano Donizetti’s lively comedy – vivdly staged by Irina Brook.

The old, wealthy, but miserly bachelor Don Pasquale wants to marry off his nephew Ernesto: to a wealthy woman. Ernesto however prefers the young, destitute widow Norina, who loves him. Although Don Pasquale has never seen Norina, he rejects the marriage – and throws Ernesto unceremoniously out of his house. Despondent, Ernesto writes a farewell letter to his beloved Norina. But Norina will not give Ernesto up...

Don Pasquale's new plan is now get married himself – and his friend Dr. Malatesta is to help him in this endeavour. Malatesta however sticks by Ernesto and contrives a complex plot in which Norina and Ernesto have a part to play: Norina is to be presented to the bachelor as Malatesta's well brought up sister Sofronia, who grew up in a convent. Don Pasquale is enchanted by this silent, virtuous creature – and enters into sham marriage arranged by Malatesta (but which Don Pasquale believes to be real). Immediately after the wedding, Sofronia (= Norina) changes her behaviour. She turns into a lavish, loveless, snappish shrew who terrorizes Pasquale and is – obviously – deceiving him. To get her out of the house again, Don Pasquale wants to give his nephew Ernesto not only a rich dowry, but also a home again, along with Norina (whose real identity is still unknown to him). Sofronia's true identity is then revealed. He has to learn his lesson: a man of the older generation should not try to court a younger woman...